


The Tale of the Laughing Forest

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-21
Updated: 2005-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 06:30:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1636541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An abandonded forest, a runaway prince, and the unfortunate men who must go find him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Tale of the Laughing Forest

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Taskir

 

 

"I still don't see why I had to come," Ashley groused. "Did you truly require my presence?"

Jeremiah gave him a look that had sent many a guard scurrying to obey their Captain's command for fear of a slow, painful death otherwise.

Ashley didn't notice; he was too busy frowning at the back of his horse's head.

"Yes," Jeremiah said. "It's you and those brainless stories that are wholly responsible for his Highness's running off on a stupid quest, so I most certainly expect you to help me find him."

Ashley rolled his eyes. "I am not responsible for his Highness's upbringing. If he thought it perfectly reasonable to go gallivanting off to act out what the rest of the kingdom knows to be mere stories - you should be dragging along the idiotic instructors who put such foolishness in his head. Not I."

"Are you done talking yet?" Jeremiah asked.

Another roll of the eyes, combined with a grimace and shake of head. "Ah, yes. Forgive me, Captain. Sentences more than five words in length are too confusing for you to follow. I shall endeavor to keep my comments brief."

"You're already failing miserably, so why not just shut up or tell me where he might have gone."

Stifling a sigh, Ashley combed his floppy, brown bangs out of his eyes and regarded the road ahead of them. They were half a day's journey beyond the royal city on an older road rather than the established routes. Uneven, rough roads though the horses seemed not to care.

At least he knew how to ride a horse. One less humiliation he'd be suffering on this aggravating journey. How was he supposed to have known Prince Ike would take his stupid stories to heart and run off on his own quest?

He could be anywhere. The Jagged Mountains to fight a dragon, the ocean to fend off pirates, or even the Laughing Forest to hunt out bandits. Scores of other places besides.

And somehow that meant Ashley had to accompany the Captain of the Royal Guard and help find the runaway prince. Ashley snuck a look at Jeremiah, who was staring stonily ahead, lost to whatever thoughts occupied him. If not for his harsh, condescending, impatient, demanding, critical attitude, the Captain would be handsome.

But as it stood, he was only an ass.

He'd made it clear on more occasions than Ashley could count that the Librarian was one of the most useless people at the castle. More than once they'd gotten into...lively debates on the matter.

"He could be goin East--Then again, in the South, there's--Or maybe--Oh, it's impossible to say. He wanted to hear the stories, I told him. If someone had warned me he was that gullible--"

Jeremiah cut him off with a contemptuous snort. Everything about the man was hard - the lines of his body, trim and tight with muscle, his perpetually stern expression, even his icey blue eyes, accented by short, short hair. Ashley wondered sometimes why he didn't just shave it completely off. "You shouldn't have been encouraging him to waste his time listening to them anyway."

"It's not a waste of time to listen to stories for an hour or two a night!" Ashley snapped.

"He could have been doing things far more practical than listening to you natter on about dragons and kidnapped princesses."

Ashley bit down on his lip, knowing it was futile to argue with him. But ultimately, he could not resist. "The kingdom could do worse than a prince who thinks being noble and brave is the ideal way for him to behave."

"Yes," Jeremiah replied. "It's so reassuring to have a leader who would rather run off to rescue stupid women from nonexistent creatures than stay at home and learn how to govern."

Ashley's horse was beginning to pick up his agitation, and he forced himself to relax. "If you had your way, he'd do nothing but pick fights and stomp around the castle like something had been shoved into his nether regions."

Jeremiah glared at him. "At least I make myself useful."

"I make myself plenty useful."

"Yes, cataloguing children's stories and using them to misplace a prince."

Ashley wished he had a chance of smashing Jeremiah's nose. But he'd only fall off his horse, and he wasn't ready to start humiliating himself quite yet. "I didn't misplace the prince! I told him stories and then ordered him to bed each night. How was I to know he'd decided to run off? He's not the only person who's ever asked me about the old stories."

Jeremiah didn't respond, merely glowered at the unending road before them.

"I think it most likely he went toward the forest," Ashley said. "We've not much of it around here, at least not like we've caves and water. I would say he went toward the Laughing Forest."

"The Dark Forest you mean?" Jeremiah asked scathingly.

Ashley rolled his eyes. "I meant more that Laughing Forest is what his Highness perceives it to be. Yes, the Dark Forest."

"If you're wrong, and we fall even farther behind him than we currently are, I will see you put in stocks, Librarian."

"Go ahead and try, Captain. But last I checked, telling stories was not a crime."

"It will become one if telling those stories is what resulted in the heir being lost and possibly even killed." Jeremiah said it matter-of-factly, but Ashley could feel the smug certainty underneath it.

He bet the bastard would just love to see him dragged off in chains and locked in some damp, moldering cell. All because he found books far more interesting than swords.

Heaven and King forbid.

*~*~*~*

Ashley followed as Jeremiah turned then off the small road they'd been travelling. Night was falling fast; he could just barely see the sprawling mass in the distance that was the Dark Forest. Another day and they would reach it. Ashley wondered if he'd live that long, or die finally attempting to wring Jeremiah's stupid neck.

He bit back a groan as he slid from his horse, feeling every last ache and pain from spending far too many hours in the saddle. Nearby, Jeremiah all but jumped down and acted as thought it were the easiest thing in the world to ride all day and then make camp.

He didn't ask for Ashley's assistance once; Ashley wished he could believe Jeremiah did it out of consideration. But he knew it was out of contempt - what would a stupid librarian know about making a fire and fixing food?

Which, of course, he didn't. He'd grown up in the city; beyond a few idiotic romps with friends he no longer had, he'd done his damnedest to stay within the city. Already he missed his bed, curling up and reading by candlelight on those few nights he did not have manuscripts or books to copy, translations to make and royal papers to draft or rewrite. All of which would pile up while he was gone. It wasn't as though librarians with his skills were in excess.

Not when Jeremiah derided him so much in public that no one wanted to apprentice. Damn the man.

Ashley set the thoughts aside and made himself walk toward the fire like he wasn't suffering. Though he knew the response, he could not help but ask. "Is there anything you would like me to do?"

"Locate the prince so I can go home and be done with the both of you."

"Believe me, if I could summon him here, I would. Your dislike of my presence is exceeded only by the fact that I loathe and despise you." Ashley crossed his arms as he stared at the fire utnil evening turned to full-on night around them. He accepted the food handed to him with a curt thank you, and listened to all the noises around them, secretly relieved to hear nothing that sounded like a big, dangerous animal. "So what do thick-headed lugs talk about around the fire?"

He couldn't see much of Jeremiah across the fire, but he knew by rote the curling of his lip, the darkening of his icey eyes. "We don't tell idiotic stories."

"Oh, yes. Because stories about how you slashed this brigand or beat that soldier or made fun of that librarian are so enlivening."

Jeremiah laughed, and Ashley wished bitterly that the man wouldn't sound so mocking when he did it. But really, why should he care? "Recounting battles and amusing lessons is far more interesting than regaling everyone with how you spilled your ink or misplaced a scroll."

"And why would I tell everyonea bout that when I know thousands of stories with which to amuse and entertain?" Ashley wished he could pitch his bowl at the idiot's head.

"So your life is so dreadfully boring you'd rather tell made up stories than recount your day?" The question was asked calmly, matter-of-factly.

"Like beating every young man in the city senseless is so much better an existence," Ashley said. But the words stung. He didn't need the rock-headed ass of a Captain pointing out that his life was empty and boring.

Ashley finished eating in silence, thinking on Prince Ike - who had been the only one for longer than he cared to remember to seek him out. And perhaps it had only been to hear a bunch of silly stories, but they'd had a shared love for those stories. He had wound up helping the Prince by sheer chance that first night; but every night after, he had been specifically requested.

It had been nice, to be wanted for something other than the usual chores. He loved what he did...but it was nice that someone had wanted him beyond that; had wanted simply to be told a few stories. And didn't it figure that the harmless arrangement had come crashing down around him and forced him to spend Heaven only knew how many days and night in the company of the only man he actively wanted to turn violent against.

Ashley didn't move as a sleep roll was dropped beside him, remaining still until Jeremiah had set up his own and lain down. When it looked as though he would not be moving again, until morning, Ashley began to slowly and painfully set up his own bedding. He hurt. But he'd rather go blind and never read another word than let his unwilling companion know he was in pain.

Somewhere a wolf howled, and Ashley bit his lip to keep from saying anything - because no matter what he said, Jeremiah would interpret it as fear. Closing his eyes tight, Ashley pretended he was safe in his own bed and told himself that was where he'd wake up until exhaustion took him away.  
*~*~*~*

Ashley ignored the looks the farmers slid over him, biting down hard on a lip that would probably start bleeding if he was forced to endure this journey much longer. They were looks he should long be used to by now.

Next to the strong, confident, tall, and - he couldn't really deny it - handsome Captain, he was nothing more than a scrawny, albeit equally tall, man with unimpressive features and hair that on a good day looked like some creature had mistaken it for a nest. And even after three days, ink stained his hands - and knowing his luck, it was on one or both cheeks as well. The dratted stuff took ages to wash away; he'd given up trying to do so long ago.

Devil take them all. At least he had more than rocks in his head.

The farmers talked in thick country accents, but at least they had indeed seen the prince - and thankfully didn't realize who it was they had seen.

Ashley listened only just enough to know what they were saying, minimally interested until they started giving Jeremiah advice on how best to travel through the Dark Forest. He frowned, but remained silent until the men had gone on their way. "They're wrong," he said.

"About what?" Jeremiah asked, not bothering to look at him.

"You can't just go through the Forest like that."

Jeremiah curled his lip. "I think I'll take the advice of men who live here and know the area rather than a fool who spends more time with books than with the living."

"I have a job to do!" Ashley snapped. "I can't help it there's more work than people to do it." Though, even if there were librarians aplenty, he would still probably spend more time with the books. Who was ever likely to seek out an ink-stained wraith for anything more than a request for a copy of this or a history of that?

Enough. Dwelling on his lacks would not improve his current situation. "And they might live here, in the field and on their farms, but no one lives in the Dark Forest. There are reasons for that."

"Keep your idiotic stories to yourself," Jeremiah said. "I have a prince to find, and listening to your fantasies will do nothing but hinder the search. A forest is a forest, and I will take the advice of those who are most familiar with it."

Ashley pressed it. "They were lying! Or mistaken. You do not simply traipse into the Dark Forest, and I guarantee the paths they suggested will not be there for us to find."

"Be silent, Librarian."

"But you don't understand - I speak from various accounts. Journals, histories--"

"Made up stories," Jeremiah said scathingly.

Ashley held tightly the reins, just knowing he'd do something stupid otherwise. By the Heavens! The man tried his patience like no one else. If and when they finally found the prince, he was banning the brat from ever entering the library again. And from speaking to him. Nothing and no one was worth putting up with Jeremiah for days on end. It was like being slapped in the face, over and over again - with every last one of his inadequacies, failings, and miseries. "They're not all made up," he said finally. "And behind every legend is small bit of truth."

"Of course," Jeremiah said. "There's a forest. Beyond that? Nothing but wild tales told by men who had nothing better to do."

Like me, Ashley thought bitterly. No doubt it was what Jeremiah was thinking.

He looked at the forest, mind tumbling over what little he knew about it. For starters - no one had been in the forest since it was abandoned. Whatever the farmers had said, they'd been repeating what they themselves had been told. Stories no doubt passed down through the generations.

Perhaps they'd really been in the forest, but Ashley doubted it. If anyone had been in the forest, new stories would have arisen. Or the old ones would have flared anew. There had been nothing for decades.

If the prince was in the Dark Forest, he was probably lost. As they would be shortly. But, then again, what did a librarian know?

*~*~*~*

"We're not lost."

It took everything Ashley had not to start laughing in Jeremiah's face.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say a word."

"I can see it in your expression, Librarian. So just keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut if you want to keep it intact."

Ashley fell silent, more from shock than fear. But in the next minute he realized Jeremiah was just being mocking and shock shifted to a silent, stewing anger. And something else, which he ruthlessly ignored.

They were lost. Of course `lost' implied they'd known where they were going in the first place. Which they didn't. The forest was dark; if he didn't know for a fact that it had been midday when they'd entered, he would think it was much later. Come evening, the forest would probably be pitch black or very nearly so.

On top of all that - there was no telling where in the massive forest the prince might be. Assuming he was still alive.

Ashley was sick of it. "So what now?" he asked when the silence grew too long. "We can't stay here."

"We have to find the prince."

"He's as lost as we are," Ashley said. "We'll be lucky to find ourselves, never mind him."

Jeremiah shrugged in a way that made Ashley think he was doing it to avoid something more violent. "We can't exactly go back without him." He slid his pale blue eyes toward Ashley, then slid them away again. "There must be something..."

"It's getting late," Ashley said. "When it gets full dark we won't be able to see a thing. I haven't seen anything resembling a clearing since we entered this place. The best we can do is find water."

Jeremiah nodded stiffly and urged his horse forward. If the trees grew much thicker, they would not be able to continue on horseback - Ashley hoped it did not come to that.

"Shouldn't we turn back? We still can at this point."

"And do what?" Jeremiah asked, voice tight. "Tell the king we can't find his son because a stupid forest scared us?" He looked at Ashley scathingly. "By all means, do so if you like. I'm sure you'll make a fine story of it. But I will press on; nothing is accomplished by giving up the moment an obstacle is presented."

Ashley made a face. "An obstacle we could have avoided if you had listened to me in the first place, Captain."

"Listened to what? Your stories? They would have proven less helpful than the farmers."

"If you had listened to me," Ashley snapped. "I would have told you that they all they told you were stories - stuff their fathers and grandfathers passed down. I at least know a great many, and from those many have gleaned a few truths!"

Jeremiah abruptly halted his horse, forcing Ashley to do the same. "You should have said something."

"I tried." Ashley glared hatefully. "Somebody told me to shut my pretty mouth or risk losing it. So my apologies, Captain, but I didn't feel like wasting my breath."

For a moment, he thought he saw something like embarrassment flit across Jeremiah's face. But then the Captain was as stony as ever, and Ashley figured he'd just imagined it. "So what `truths' do you know?"

"Nothing that would interest you," Ashley said, and refused to look at or speak to Jeremiah, though he felt it every time those ice-chip eyes looked his way.

*~*~*~*

The silence was unbearable. Where were the animals? The rustling of leaves? Ashley repressed a shiver. He'd been ignoring Jeremiah for hours now, but by this point he'd take another fight to one more second of the awful silence. "The royal palace used to be here, did you know that?"

No reply.

Ashley didn't look to see if Jeremiah was listening. "Once upon a time, this forest wasn't as it is now. It was still thick, confusing, but not as black or quite as large. For years and years it was merely called the forest. There were carriage roads and workman paths; they used it as casually as we use our own valleys and mountains."

"Then a band of thieves moved into it, took it over. They had a trick with laughing, filling the forest with it. Many victims said it sounded like the forest itself was laughing at them, as if amused at the fact they were about to be robbed. So everyone began to call it the Laughing Forest."

"One day the bandits vanished. No one knows why - some say they were killed, other accounts claim they left for new territory. After that, the forest returned to normal, though the new name never faded."

"But a few years later, something else entered the forest." Ashley frowned, thinking. "No one ever says what, just that the forest became a dangerous place. People got lost, others came out terrified, out of their minds. The forest was no longer safe, and it began to creep toward the castle - no matter what was done to hold it back. Finally the king ordered a new castle built, some distance away from the forest. But he ordered the forest be abandoned long before the new castle was ready. For years men attempted to tame the forest, or at least understand what it had become...none ever succeeded. They gave up. No one has been in the forest since."

Jeremiah snorted. "You expect me to believe all that?"

"Obviously much of the story has been exaggerated, but there are enough commonalities between accounts that I think there's more than a little truth to the tale." Ashley looked at Jeremiah, face and tone reproving. "And we need all the information we can get, Captain. The Prince believed the story enough to travel here; we had best think as he did."

"I'm surrounded by idiots." Jeremiah looked at him in contempt. "This is what comes of listening to stupid stories."

Ashley swore he felt his temper shatter, like delicate crystal dropped on the marble hallway. "If you did not want to hear what I had to say, then why did you bring me along?" he demanded. "You said it was my fault that he ran off, ergo I should be the one to help find him. Yet time and again you deride those very stories that you say are responsible for the prince's running off! You cannot have it both ways. Either I and my stories are useful or they are not." Jeremiah started to speak, but Ashley pressed on, refusing to give him the chance. "If you had listened to my stupid stories, we might not be lost in the forest. We might have found a different solution - yet even now, when it's obvious we're probably not going to find a way out, you are deriding me!" Ashley stopped, rather abruptly running out of words. He looked away, waiting for the blow that would inevitably fall - though whether it would be verbal or physical, he could not say.

"Stories have their place," Jeremiah said. "But no one should be so consumed by them they spend more time in stories than in living - nor should they go running off to reenact them."

Ashley still didn't look at him. "Perhaps the prince is reenacting silly stories because he feels his life lacks."

"Maybe the prince is an idiot who cannot see what is right in front of his face," Jeremiah snapped.

"You're probably right," Ashley replied. "But he's only sixteen - what do you really expect out of him?"

Jeremiah grunted, but said nothing.

"And if he finds more comfort in stories than in real life, perhaps there is a problem we all have failed to notice."

"As I said, perhaps he is an idiot." Jeremiah looked at him.

Ashley stared right back. "And what would you know about it? Your life is golden; what need have you to retreat to stories? Not everyone can be as confident and capable and respected as you. His Highness? Has nothing but a life of duties that probably frighten him right now to look forward to, never mind the image to which he must live up. Think on that before you start being so judgmental."

"So you think he's hiding from his duties by acting out stories?"

"It's a possibility."

A moment of silence, then Jeremiah spoke again. "So what does a librarian hide from?"

The question was mocking, Ashley knew, but he answered it anyway, simply to keep the silence at bay a moment longer. "Nothing," he said. "I hide from nothing."

They continued on in silence.

*~*~*~*

A bit of color not consistent with the forest, some distance past Jeremiah, caught Ashley's eye. "What is that?" It was strange to hear his own voice, after going so long without speaking.

"What is what?" Jeremiah followed his gaze, halting his horse as he too spied the anomaly. He slid from his horse and tethered it to the branch of a low hanging tree.

Ashley followed suit, if far more clumsily, and followed him.

It proved to be stone - shaped stone, and as they drew closer and could look, it was obvious even in the dark that they were seeing the remains of a road. Ashley followed what remained of it with his eyes, finally looking up as it seemed to end.

The remains of a castle, almost completely taken over by the forest. Trees grew everywhere around and it, chunks of what must have been a wall scattered here, a tower there... "There really is an old castle...but even the King always said it was legend..."

Jeremiah said nothing, merely began to walk slowly toward the castle. The horses were rapidly lost from sight, and Ashley wondered if they'd be able to find their way back even with the road. He moved closer to Jeremiah, anxious not to lose the only other sign of life besides the forest itself, even if it was the ass Captain.

"Stupid place to build a castle," Jeremiah said quietly. "One careless knight and a torch is all it would take to set the forest ablaze and trap everyone. Not even enough water to guard against such a thing."

Ashley shrugged. "The forest wasn't always this bad. I'm sure at one point it was thinner and certainly not so close to the castle."

"Still stupid to build a castle right in the middle of a forest."

"Do you think the prince found his way here?" Ashley asked, ignoring the potential argument.

"Knowing the prince, and given this entire journey," Jeremiah answered. "I don't doubt he bypassed this castle completely and found the one that not even you know about."

Ashley surprised them both by laughing. Jeremiah watched him for a moment, then looked away and increased his pace.

"We should go back for the horses," he said at last. "There's space for them, it's getting too dark to see, and we've plenty of shelter here." He turned around, barely sparing Ashley a look. "I'll get them. Stay here and see if you can't clear out a space for camp." He didn't wait for Ashley to argue.

The man was nothing short of aggravating. Ashley sighed and set his aching muscles to clearing away smaller stones, branches, and undergrowth from a portion of what had once been the main courtyard for their camp. The canopy was thick enough there was no reason to worry about rain - even sunlight wasn't able to really pierce the forest.

He looked around, hearing Jeremiah off in the distance. The castle must have beautiful once; here and there the crumbled stones hinted at their former glory. How sad, that it had been left to the merciless forest. What had really driven so many to abandon the beautiful location to live closer to the stark mountains?

Without really meaning to, Ashley found himself wandering into the castle - through a doorway that must have been grand once and into a hallway that must have been grander still. Through it he could see the inner courtyard, and his feet went that way before he could stop them.

Beyond the inner courtyard the castle was not quite as devastated. Exploring the first hallway, he found a stairway that still went up to the largely intact second floor.

He stared back the way he'd come through a window. Jeremiah had brought the horses to the makeshift camp, and he could tell by the way he moved that the Captain was annoyed to find Ashley absent. He watched as Jeremiah made a fire and set out their things, envious of how smoothly, gracefully and easily he did everything. It was only in his library that Ashley ever felt that confident. Jeremiah was like that everywhere.

When Jeremiah stood and began to look around, Ashley cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted for him, waving his arm back and forth when Jeremiah's gaze finally landed in his direction. Even from a distance he could feel Jeremiah glaring. Ashley turned away from the window and returned to his explorations.

Strange that it wasn't as dark as he had thought it would be by now. It seemed early evening was the perpetual state in the Dark Forest. He continued wandering, careful of where he stepped. It all seemed more or less stable...but eventually he was bound to hit one of those `less' spots.

He passed by a room, then stumbled to a halt and backed up. Stared a moment, unable to believe what he was seeing. Then he turned and ran back the way he'd come, too excited to watch his footing this time.

But rather than fall through a hole, he crashed into what he thought was a wall at first - then the wall grabbed him, keeping them both from hitting the ground, and held him still. "What are you doing?" Jeremiah demanded. "Not that I care if you break your neck - but not until we find the prince."

Ashley let the insult pass. "I found the prince. Come on." He turned and ran back toward the room where the prince lay, Jeremiah close behind him.

And realized belatedly he should have checked on the prince before simply running off. Ashley dropped down beside the gangly, dark-haired boy sleeping like the dead on his cloak, spread across what had once been a magnificent bed.

Like the dead indeed. Ashley bit down hard on his bottom lip as he touched the prince, who was cold and far too still. Ashley cradled him close, shaking and nudging the prince until his eyes at last opened. "Highness," he said, relieved. "What's wrong?"

"Ley..." Prince Ike attempted to sit up, but then fell back against Ashley. He moved his eyes toward the figure looming over them both and offered a weak smile. "Sorry, Cap'n. I knew you'd be mad."

Jeremiah grunted. "As soon as we're home and you can stand, I'm going to flay you alive - never mind what your father will do."

Ike laughed weakly, then his head fell against Ashley's shoulder. "So tired. She keeps taking it away. Can we go home?"

"What are you talking about?" Ashley asked. "Who is taking what?"  
Jeremiah drew his sword and looked around the room. "There is no one here."  
Ashley frowned at the cold, still prince. "Something is seriously wrong. He's only been out here a few days." In the corner he spied a travel pack, and it still looked fairly full. "The weather's been mild, so that can't be it."

"He said `she keeps taking it'," Jeremiah said. "What does that mean?"

"It doesn't matter right now," Ashley said. He struggled to pick the prince up but his own build was not much larger than that of the young prince.

Jeremiah sheathed his sword and took the prince from him. "Come on," he said. Ashley nodded, then grabbed the prince's pack and led the way back to their camping ground.

Dark was finally falling, thick and unrelenting around them. The fire Jeremiah had built seemed to make everything blacker. Stumbling around, they finally got the prince settled, covered in blankets and their cloaks, then sat before the fire, watching, listening.

"What's going on?" Jeremiah asked at last.

Ashley shook his head. "This isn't a story I know. But surely he's just fallen sick and is confusing dreams with reality?"

"I do not like this forest." Jeremiah had drawn his sword again and laid it within easy reach. Around them, everything was black. If not for the wind and the smell of the forest, Ashley would have thought they were in one of the myriad caves of the mountains. "Not at all."

"Nor I," Ashley agreed. "I can see why the castle was abandoned." He couldn't repress a shiver, wishing the fire was warmer even though the air was fairly mild. And he never thought he'd miss hearing a wolf howl or a fox scream...but anything was better than the miserable silence.

Jeremiah moved, making him jump. He looked away from the expression he knew was on the Captain's face, feeling sheepish. "So what do we do, fearless Captain? Hmm?" Jeremiah's reply was interrupted by the prince, who began to cry and whimper in his sleep.

"Highness!" Jeremiah reached him first, shaking the prince until he woke with a hoarse scream. He looked at them wildly, then gripped Jeremiah's chain mail shirt and began to sob. "She won't leave me alone! I hear her over and over and she takes it all away, makes me tired."

Ashley shared a look with Jeremiah. "We have to get out of here."

"How?" Jeremiah demanded. "In case you didn't notice, we're lost."

"Surely anything is better than this castle?"

"Librarian, we can barely see each other. How exactly do you propose we find our way anywhere? At the very least, we must wait until daylight to get more thoroughly lost."

Ashley nodded stiffly. "So what are we supposed to do in the meantime?"

Jeremiah shrugged, holding the sobbing prince close. "I hate to say it, but this entire situation sounds like it came from one of your confounded books." As the prince fell once more asleep, he carefully set him back down and pulled the blankets up. "Any ideas at all, Librarian?"

"I suppose I should be gloating about this," Ashley said morosely. "Instead I wish I was back in the library reading these stories instead of living them. If I see a dragon, you're on your own."

Jeremiah made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. They lapsed back into a silence broken only by the crackling fire and the prince's whimpers. "  
It's going to be a long night, isn't it?"

"Try sleeping," Jeremiah said.

"So you can deride me later for being lazy while you sat up all night?" Ashley crossed his arms and watched the fire. "No, thank you." He felt more than heard Jeremiah sigh beside him and wondered at the lack of a return jibe. Perhaps the Captain was more tired than he wanted to admit. "What have we in the way of food?"

"Not much," Jeremiah replied grimly. "I hope his Highness brought a fair amount, because I had anticipated being able to find food after our supplies ran out. But this forest is completely lacking."

"Like the animals ran away as the people did," Ashley said softly. "Then let us hope we can find a way out."

Jeremiah grunted a soft agreement, and silence fell again. Despite his best efforts, Ashley found himself nodding off, head jerking up again and again. He shook it hard, sternly telling himself to stay awake, ignoring the eyes he could feel on him. But for whatever reason, Jeremiah remained silent. Sneaking a look, Ashley saw he was still awake.

He stifled a yawn, and watched the prince. Who, after another hour or so, had finally subsided into silence, moving restlessly but no longer crying. Ashley hoped that was a good thing.

"So I take it," Jeremiah said, weariness creeping into his voice. "That this will be a story to add to your collection."

"It's not my collection," Ashley said. "I just seem to the one in charge of it. But yes, I will adding every detail of this to the collection. If only so I finally have a way to shut you up the next time you begin to make a mockery of me."

Jeremiah turned his head to watch Ashley briefly, then returned to staring at the fire. "As I recall, you began it."

"You continued it," Ashley said bitterly. "One fight did not mean you had to continue picking them. Thanks to you, I'll probably be assuming Head Librarian within a matter of months and I've only one lazy assistant to help me."

"It is not my fault all the apprentices are too intimidated to approach you," Jeremiah said.

Ashley laughed. "Intimidated? There you go mocking me again. More like they do not want to be caught sharing the abuse I take from you."

Jeremiah started to say something, then stopped. Ashley heard him mutter something, but could not make out the words. The dreaded silence resumed, and Ashley could not summon the energy to break it. Rather, he did not have the energy to continue bickering, and it seemed that was all they would ever do.

The thought should not have been as depressing as it was.

Ashley began to nod off again, head jerking up sharply as he caught himself. His eyes started to slip closed again but he caught movement by the prince and gasped. Scrambled to his feet, tripping over his feet and Jeremiah, who was trying to stand up beside him. An arm captured him about the waist, as Jeremiah steadied them both. "W-w-what is that?" Ashley asked, voice shaking.

Sitting behind the prince was a woman. Her hair was short, wavy and dark, skin pale and eyes bright, almost glowing. Ashley realized it wasn't just her eyes that seemed to glow...and then he realized he could see right through her.

"Get away from him!" Jeremiah bellowed, shattering the stillness of the forest. He grabbed his sword and moved toward her - then froze, sword falling. He held his head, groaning in pain. "What the devil..."

"Jeremiah!" Ashley moved to his side, careful not to go any closer to the woman...thing looming over the prince. "What do we do?"

"I don't know - but don't get too close." Jeremiah still held his head. "If this is what his Highness is going through, it's no wonder he's in such a state."

They watched helplessly as the woman's translucent fingers stroked over the prince, as if admiring a belonging.

Then the air shifted, and Ashley thought he smelled something like roses on the warm breeze that made the fire flare and the woman flinch.

He held a hand to his head, beginning to feel tired, dizzy. Beside him he felt Jeremiah slump, falling heavy against him. Around him, the dark turned gray, fuzzy. Where was the light coming come from?

Everything was still for a moment, as if in anticipation - then the laughter started. It rang out, seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere. Ashley thought it sounded like the trees themselves were laughing. His eyes felt heavy, but Ashley fought it, sensing that would be the worst thing he could do.

Fingers brushed his hand, and he realized Jeremiah was still fighting it too. If Jeremiah could stay conscious, so could he.

Shadows shifted, altered, and became two men. The first was tall, his build only a bit slighter than Jeremiah's. He had fine, dark auburn hair and green eyes so bright they were visible even in the gloomy forest.

The second man, Ashley noticed with a start, looked like a prettier, older version of Prince Ike. Dark, wavy hair and sharp blue eyes. Like the strange woman, they were transparent. Ghosts, his mind whispered, and he shied from the word but could not deny it entirely. Then the voices started, both in his head and all around. Like the fading laughter, it almost seemed as if the trees spoke though he could see the men were talking.

"Bitch," the dark haired man said to the woman. His voice was hard, cold. It brooked no argument.

"I have as much claim to him as you," the woman said with equal chill. "He is as much my blood as yours."

"And like your son," the man replied. "He will choose us over you!"

The woman stood, shaking with rage. "I have no son!"

"He was always too good for you anyway!"

The red-haired man threw his head back and laughed, the sound reverberating through the forest. "Now, now, my love. Less talk and more action. We're harming the living."

"The living will survive," the dark-haired man replied impatiently. He flicked his eyes briefly toward them, seemingly satisfied by whatever he saw. He turned back toward the woman, who stood over Ike like a wolf guarding its kill. "Be gone, bitch. You tried to destroy us once and you failed. So long as we command this place, you will not hold sway!"

"Your power is fading, Prince." the woman countered, shadows rippling around her feet like a black puddle.

The prince laughed, sounding like a cooler version of the man beside him. "I think not, bitch. You cursed me once and it was broken - you can no longer harm me. I trapped you here and here you will stay. Nor shall you ever have my family!" He threw a hand out, making the woman flinch. Ashley felt the warm breeze rise up again, the scent of roses stronger than ever.

"Reynard!" the dark-haired man snapped. "Stop watching and help me!"

"Yes, my love." The red-haired man grinned and spread his arms wide, as if beckoning to the forest itself. "Come, my bandits. Is this our forest or not?" He threw his head back and began to laugh, soon joined by more voices than Ashley could count.

The laughter made the woman cringe, falter, and finally scream. "No! You were weak!" She held her hands to her ears and closed her eyes. "I will not give him up!"

"You will," the dark-haired man said coldly. "You are a prisoner of the Laughing Forest, nothing more. I cannot kill you, but I will keep you in your place. Now go! Back to sleep!" He threw his hand out again, almost as if throwing something. The woman fought, shuddered, then collapsed into shadow.

Slowly the forest returned to silence. The dark-haired man approached Prince Ike. "He looks just like Fay, doesn't he?"

Reynard chuckled. "He looks more like you, Briar."

"Ridiculous."

"What about them?" Reynard indicated Ashley and Jeremiah. Ashley watched them approach, curious and anxious.

Briar knelt and touched their hands. Ashley thought it felt like someone had splashed him with cold water. "They'll be fine. We should get them out." Briar smiled suddenly; it was small, quiet, but a smile all the same. Ashley was struck by how much prettier it made the already lovely prince.

He was further struck by the thought that he bet Jeremiah's smile would be more impressive. He could still sense Jeremiah beside him, still but awake.

"Go to sleep," Briar said.

Reynard laughed softly; it was the last sound Ashley heard.

*~*~*~*

It was warm. A moment later Ashley realized he could feel the sun on his back...and lying alongside something warm but hard. The ground? His eyes felt too heavy to open. Ashley stirred, then settled. He thought he heard voices.

"There, that's much better."

"If I were them, I would kill you."

"Good thing I'm already dead."

"You!"

Ashley heard a sound like a soft sigh, and thought he smelled roses. Then nothing but the feel sun on his back, and something that was beginning to feel like metal pressed against his chest.

His eyes snapped open, and Ashley stared into eyes that looked more like fresh water than ice. Then he realized he was lying half on top of Jeremiah, far too close for comfort, and attempted to scramble up, hands and elbows flying everywhere until the arms around his waist disappeared and he was more able to move.

He stood up, nearly tripping and falling back down.

Jeremiah stood more slowly, eyes immediately searching out and finding the prince. Ashley was torn between being relieved - the prince was fast asleep, and looked a hundred times better than he had in the woods - and wanting to wake him and give him a sound thrashing.

"So what now?" he asked.

"I guess we go home," Jeremiah said. "And lock him in his room."

"Agreed," Ashley muttered. He glanced at Jeremiah, then looked hastily away.

Only a few days to the castle and his life would return to normal.

Not that normal was so thrilling, but he found suddenly that he wanted nothing to do with thrills. Ever.

And somehow he wasn't surprised to see their horses waiting for them, packed and ready to go. "What?" he muttered sourly. "Couldn't just take us home?"

He thought, for a moment, that he heard someone laughing.

*~*~*~*

At some point he'd heard the evening bells, and the quiet noises of the library drift into the sort of dead silence that now made him feel sick instead of soothed. His back ached, his eyes were sore, burning with effort and his hands, still sore and blistered from the journey, had been protesting for awhile. They'd probably start to cramp soon.

But...he didn't want to go anywhere else. He dreaded it. Anything had to be better than another night eating a cold meal alone in his room, crawling into his cold bed and falling asleep reading so he wouldn't feel like he was falling asleep alone.

Prince Ike had been by a few times since they'd returned two weeks ago...but his father had been stricter than ever about what he did with his time and nearly all of it was spent in the King's presence.

He was nearly done transcribing the Prince's account of events. Ashley shook his head in an effort to ward off memories of the Dark Forest. The Laughing Forest. Most of the time, it seemed like a dream. More often, he pretended that it was and that he avoided his bed to avoid the dreams.

But it wasn't the dreams he was avoiding and he knew it. Ashley set his quill down and flexed his hand, trying to ease the cramps. His hand were covered in ink; they would look a mess for months and as they faded there would be new stains to replace them.

Perpetually a mess, that was him. Ashley sighed. He'd recorded his own version of events, was nearly done with the Prince...he had only one more version to go...but he hadn't seen Jeremiah since the night they returned home. Not a single glimpse; not even so much as hearing someone speak his name.

Ashley picked his quill up again and continued to write. His handwriting was perfect, he knew it was. He'd trained for years at everything that had made him Second Librarian. And the Head Librarian was old; he had already declared Ashley would succeed him.

Around the edge of the pages he had been drawing leaves, roses, other fanciful designs as they seemed to suite The book would be a masterpiece when he was done.

Except that all such stories were supposed to have an end. Or at least, a better end than this one. `We arrived home safe' sounded flat. Ashley set his quill down again and grimaced as his hand refused to be soothed. He should probably quit, if only to avoid ruining his own hard work. He did not want to redo the book, and even the Second Librarian could only burn so many candles in a day.

He picked his quill up again.

"So are you hiding yourself away for always now?" The voice, as implacable as ever, made Ashley jump.

"Damn it," he swore, looking up at Jeremiah. But he glimpsed those ice-chip eyes and his own skittered away. "I nearly ruined this book! Do you know how long it takes to do this?"

Jeremiah looked at him. "Certainly not every hour of every day. Do you even eat?"

"Why should you care?" Ashley snapped, setting down his quill and sliding off his writing stool. He stumbled as he hit the ground, legs stiff and sore, unable to hold his weight.

Jeremiah caught him, steadied him...and did not let go. "How long have you been in this room? Aren't you sick of the dark, after..." he flapped a hand, grimacing. "I cannot stand it."

Ashley tried to pull away. "I'm surprised you're even admitting to it."

"I dislike such idiotic stories, but there's no sense in denying I was part of one." He frowned. "Hold still."

"Let me go."

"In a moment."

Ashley glared back. "What do you want?"

"I came to talk to you."

"So talk," Ashley said. "So that I might get back to writing. And I do need your accounting of events."

Jeremiah looked at him. "We both saw the same things, or did you forget we journeyed together?"

No, no he hadn't. And wasn't that the heart of the matter he'd been avoiding? Ashley sighed. "But we're not the same person. All points of view must be accounted for."

There was silence, as Jeremiah considered him. Ashley fought to hold still and not fidget beneath those pale blue eyes. It really had never surprised him why every soldier in the castle was terrified of angering this man. "On one condition," he said at last.

"What?" Ashley said. "You're making conditions on telling me how you saw things?"

"Yes," Jeremiah said.

Ashley glared. "What, then?"

Jeremiah sighed. "You are the most vexing..." he shook his head. "I wanted to know if we could start over."

"...What?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Jeremiah was starting to look annoyed.

"Yes, because you make no sense!" Ashley tried to pull free of the arms holding him in place. "What on earth do you mean--" His words were abruptly cut off, and then Ashley realized he was being kissed. He froze, eyes wide, as Jeremiah kissed him.

Jeremiah pulled away, frowning at the expression on Ashley's face. His eyes seemed to harden, though not from anger. "Perhaps I was mistaken." He abruptly let Ashley go and turned to leave.

Ashley stared. "No!" He snagged at Jeremiah's sleeve. "I just--I never thought--why? What changed?"

"I don't know," Jeremiah said. "I'd like to blame it on that damned Forest." He stood still, as if waiting.

Ashley hesitated, looking up at the man who had been the biggest thorn in his side since he'd started working in the Royal Library. They started fighting when Jeremiah's disregard for most of the library had sparked his temper. The antagonism had only worsened from there. But ever since the Laughing Forest... "So we start over?"

"I thought," Jeremiah said, and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face. "That this was how all your stupid stories ended."

"And I'm the one writing the damned thing, so I'll end it however I want." Ashley closed the distance between them and leaned up to kiss him.

 


End file.
